Last year, amidst growing concerns over fair compensation for content creators, the Canadian government passed the Online News Act, compelling major social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to remunerate Canadian news organizations for their original content shared on these platforms. Meta’s response? A nine-month ban on news outlets, effectively removing a vital avenue for information dissemination and discourse for millions.
The repercussions of Meta’s retaliatory action reverberate far beyond the boardrooms of tech giants and the halls of government. The real losers in this high-stakes game are the small media outlets, the unsung heroes of journalism who rely on social media platforms to amplify their voices and reach wider audiences. For these outlets, Facebook and Instagram were not just platforms for engagement but lifelines for survival in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.
